Friday, August 26, 2016

Quad Thursday and a Homemaker Friday!

I have spent a good many days cleaning and decorating and am STILL not done yet!

However, Thursday was a wonderful break for me and I spent practically the whole day and well into the evening with Amber and the quads.

The kids were at school when I arrived and the first thing we did was go to lunch!

We chose Cristina's Fine Mexican Restaurant.

We both had the avocado soup lunch special and it was delicious!

It's been a LONG time since Amber and I had more than a few minutes to spend with each other without four little children around! I treasured every moment as we chatted and caught up with all that's been going on - as in the kids are going to SCHOOL now!!!!

We timed it so we would have one hour for lunch.......

and one hour at the brand spanking new Hobby Lobby near Amber's home.

Oh, how I love that place!

I was on a mission to buy a tube of orange oil paint for the sunflowers I will be doing next Tuesday.

Of course, we had to walk up and down each and every isle just BECAUSE!!

The floors were all shiny and the baskets rolled as smoothly as only new baskets will roll!

Amber pulled the seat section apart to put her purse there and said it felt like she was the very first person to use it!

From Hobby Lobby it was time to head for the school carpool pick up line.

WHAT?????

No more parking and walking in and checking the kids out.

NOPE! They are right there, just waiting to be escorted to your vehicle.

Hence, the sign you put on the dashboard as you drive up

By the way, Amber has taught the kids what 'Quadruplet' means! It totally helps that our quads are good friends with another set of quads very near the same age.

I am missing my trusty little red camera that I can't find the battery charger for and, therefore, can't use! I'm left with my iPad and phone and another camera that I don't like as well.

I didn't get many good pics but Harrison was the first one in the car!

You might want to turn your sound down a little bit before playing this.

I need to work on my quiet voice when I video!

We were off to get yogurt to celebrate the first week of school!!!

This is a FANCY yogurt place with all sorts of toppings and a variety of specialty yogurt blends.

I got Tiger's Blood and wished I had put more in my bowl! While it's fancy yogurt, it's in one of the cleanest and nicest RaceTracs I've been in!

We had so much fun while we enjoyed our yogurt together!

From there we went home to Quadville where Amber had already set the table for an activity.

These kids just LOVE 'projects' and ran to the table like it was Christmas morning!

I loved being with the kids and listening to them talk to me and to each other.

I ended up spending all the rest of the afternoon and it most all of the evening!

It was nearly 10:00 when I got back home.

We watched a Doc McStuffins cartoon about Quadruplets!!! Then we watched a Paw Patrol and played some games and colored and talked some more. We folded laundry and ate dinner together and then we all went upstairs and watched some synchronized swimming from the Olympic Games.

It was a wonderful day and I came home all happy!

Today I was Susie Homemaker all day long.

Every quarter or so I like to clean out the pantry.

I was visiting a friend's blog recently and she had organized her pantry and I was totally fascinated by what she had on HER shelves. I felt a little bit like I was snooping - but she had invited us in to look!

I like to be able to SEE what I have - so I use a lot of clear glass containers.

I really miss the glass jars pickles came in. Now it's all plastic.

I even have a space to put something! Right there by the two things of shortening.

Now WHY we have two things of shortening I do not know. Unless Louis Dean ran out and decided to stock up.

I noticed he had been shopping while I was at the beach and then the camper those two weekends.

I always smile when I see the thingy with Lonnie's name on it.

My brother gave it to me so many years ago when he worked for a towing company.

It's to unlock your car if you left your keys in it.

Not sure if it still works with today's vehicles but I will keep it always since it has hung on that very nail for, oh, so many years!

I straightened up the whole pantry but then forgot to do the things in the door.

Oh, well!

Next was the fridge!

I think all of my sisters have such beautiful CLEAN refrigerators!

Not I! As far as I can tell, both of my daughters stuff a fridge the same way I do.

After lunch I moved on to the bedroom.

It took the rest of the day to wash and dry every bit of bedding in her from the sheets to the down comforter to the spread and the dozen pillowcases. I'm glad I don't have to wash everything every single week!

This time four years ago, we were beginning our 7 month stay in our camper down in Katy so we could help Amber and Mike with the quads.

They are growing up so fast! I'm so glad to see them thriving! Amber and Mike are amazing parents, and you and LD are amazing too! You've both really invested in those childrens' lives and are a huge part of their growth!

I saw some of the synchro swimming and thought about you and Amber and knew you were enjoying it.

Every day of your life is exciting! Love all the quad news. That LD must really love you to do some of the thins he does for you. Wonderful to have a clean pantry. Wonderful to have a clean house. Love this post.

It's so great you had the chance for one on one time with Amber. I love how she has activities lined up for her kids. I want to be that grandmother.

I have cabinets to clean out...I know for sure I have expired things but I'm so afraid of climbing on chairs, even stepladders after breaking my arm last summer. I have to get over it, we women have to be self sufficient!!

What a wonderful day! They all looked so happy about school. And I did not read the word "nap" either! Maybe they have grown out of their naps. But it doesn't matter, because Amber will have quite a bit of time all to herself now. Hard to believe there is another set of Quads in the same school!! I thought they are so rare. Your bedroom is beautiful! And I cannot believe you walked out of a brand new hobby Lobby with only a tube of paint! Ours has all fall things at 40% off!

you had me at the Swirl photo. he he he... 2 shortening? I have not had one since, since.. well about 40 years I think... of course I don't bake so why would I.. think my kids are 48 and 49.so glad the two of you had so much fun, I do love new baskets. our Walmart bought all new baskets and for about a month they were wonderful, then after all the abuse of uncaring people they are hard to roll now..

This is all so lovely Linda. It's all about family and sharing those times of everyday living! How quickly the quads seem to have grown just since I have been a blogging friend! We are going to have a visit from our daughter this week, which is rare we get her all to ourselves....so I have planned a day of shopping and lunch for us! Isn't it just the best way to spend mother-daughter time! Have a lovely weekend!

Linda, It seems even when you aren't busy...you really are doing something. LOL. So fun to hear the kids excited voices. I watched my first Doc.McStuffins yesterday, with Layla. She was loving it. Your Amber such a pretty girl. I do not have a pantry and wish I did. My daughter Liz has one of the door hanging shoe holders with clear pocket on her pantry door..she keeps apple sauces, puddings, fruit roll ups, oatmeal packs, and things like that in those pockets. Blessings to you and LD for a great weekend, xoxo, love you, susie

Wow! The kids are in school - finally Amber will have a few hours each day for herself to get things done. Weird but in Canada we still have all glass pickle jars. Whenever I see the 2 gallon old style pickle jars at garage sales I buy them for storage too. I buy gigantic bags of flour and rice and need somewhere to put all that.

I can't believe the quads are in school now! Where has the time gone? I bet Amber is happy for the relief. They can play with other kids and learn and she can have some quiet time. I'm sure she doesn't get too much of that when they're home. I love Hobby Lobby too. It's always packed full of everything you could ever want. Mine isn't new though. I think my refrigerator stays stuffed like yours too. I clean it out but it quickly fills back up.

I am passionate about being a Homemaker! My husband and I share the love of all things warm and cozy and enjoy the simple pleasures a home affords...the beauty of gardening and the joy of bird watching....sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine and a good book....planting flowers and vegetables and thrilling to the sight of real produce! I like redeeming things....turning old blue jeans into denim quilts...taking cast offs and making them useful in new and interesting ways. I love being able to show hospitality to others by sharing my home for a lunch, a visit, a meal, a movie! Hopefully I am a life long LEARNER and continue to grow as a person even into the fall and winter seasons of my life!